1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to canteens for storing potable liquids, and more particularly to a squeeze canteen provided with a closable nozzle tube that when the canteen is squeezed and the tube is open then ejects a stream of liquid.
2. Status of Prior Art
A canteen is a flask for carrying drinking water or other potable liquids. Canteens are now commonly used by hikers and other travelers to carry potable liquids such as drinking water and fruit juice. Usually a canteen takes the form of a metal or plastic flask having a removable screw-on cap. These are not suitable for pre-school or very young children; for in order to drink from a conventional canteen, the child must unscrew the cap, which is usually chained to the flask, and then put the threaded neck of the flask into his mouth. Since the flask is filled with liquid and is fairly heavy, a yound child runs the risk of hitting and damaging his teeth with the hard, threaded neck of the flask.
A conventional canteen operates on the gravity flow principle. In order, therefore, to drink from this canteen, the user must raise it to a level at which the liquid will flow downwardly into his mouth. This presents a problem when the user of the canteen is a child on a moving vehicle, for then it is difficult for the user to hold the canteen steady.
Moreover, there are many situations in which it is not convenient to use a conventional canteen or liquid container. For example, in a marathon race in which a runner carries with him a plastic bottle containing water, the runner is not in a position to unscrew the cap of the bottle and raise the bottle to his lips so that he can drink from it, for this is difficult to do without coming to a halt and losing ground.
The need exists, therefore, for a canteen from which one can drink without having to unscrew a cap and without having to put the threaded neck of the canteen into the mouth.
Of prior art interest is my U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,538 and the references cited therein.